Do biofuels really have enough oomph to power jet fighters and battleships? The Department of the Navy is already testing blends of renewable and traditional fuels and sees that as the way of the future. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus outlined an ambitious plan last fall mandating that half of the department's energy consumption, ashore and afloat, come from alternative sources by 2020. Read more »

Award-winning chef and TV personality Bayless has spent the last 30 years putting his own delicious twist on gourmet Mexican cuisine. Now, the first-season winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters shares his culinary philosophy and why supporting local sustainable farms is so important. Read more »

Now that the U.S. Senate has punted on an economy-wide climate bill, the future of any legislation limiting carbon pollution is in doubt. Will Congress manage to pass anything meaningful this year? A cap on emissions from electric utilities? Is it time for states, cities and corporations to light the way? What impact will California's upcoming election have on the national power debate? Read more »

Former First Lady Carter is an icon and an advocate for mental health, early childhood immunization, human rights and conflict resolution through her work at The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter will discuss her decades working in the mental health field. Following the program, she will also sign copies of her new book, Within Our Reach: Ending the Mental Health Crisis.

The new head of the American Bar Association took office recently, and among his top priorities is using the weight of the ABA's members to expand the teaching of civics in American schools.

He could have been taking notes from award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss spoke to The Commonwealth Club in Silicon Valley on July 19, 2010, about his effort to promote civics education. You can watch the video below, and see for yourself if he's in tune with the lawyers' group.

The new head of the American Bar Association took office recently, and among his top priorities is using the weight of the ABA's members to expand the teaching of civics in American schools.

He could have been taking notes from award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss spoke to The Commonwealth Club in Silicon Valley on July 19, 2010, about his effort to promote civics education. You can watch the video below, and see for yourself if he's in tune with the lawyers' group.

National best-selling author, renowned physician and a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, Verghese will discuss Cutting for Stone, one of the most critically acclaimed novels of the past two years. Verghese has earned accolades in and out of the medical community for his advocacy on behalf of patients and is widely regarded as having influenced the way modern medical students think about what it means to be a doctor and treat people. Read more »

How can a single moment change your life and the lives of others? With grace and integrity, Shannon shares her transformation from lapsed idealist to leader of the first national grassroots effort for Congolese women. Anchored by human bonds that terror cannot touch, Shannon explores the world's deadliest war through the harrowing but hopeful stories of the women she has helped and the relationships she has formed. Read more »